What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2020

Spent a good full day in the garden today. Started off pruning the roses in the front garden - like Armandii says, they had a lot of new growth so I cut them back really hard. Didn't have very good gloves on so hands are quite sore now! Then weeded most 2/3rds of the border and hoed it over.

Then decided to dig up a climbing hydrangea that was at the front of the house. I just didn't really like it - thought I'd move it round the side of the house on the outer border - will hopefully give us a bit more privacy from the horrid neighbours - it will cover the gaps in the hit and miss style fencing.

So decided to fill the gap in the front where I moved the climbing hydrangea and planted in a hebe i'd had in a pot and planted in the christmas box (which is smelling lovely) and also divded some bergenia and put that in. Oh and also planted another type of holly (they do really well in the clay soil here). Hopefully this evergreen planting will look good at the front of the house in future years.

 

Cold and windy with some hazy sunshine yesterday. Cut more grass in the front garden. It will need another cut and I need to hand cut around the Ribes and Hydrangea. Planted an Aster by the pond that was removed from a pot awhile ago. Had a look at the flower bed under one of the Cherry trees. It's a real mess but it's not going to get sorted unless I sort it. Bought more chicken wire to finish the bun run.

@Sian in Belgium I didn't know you had Frog spawn in your pond, how lucky you are. But I think I recall you mentioning awhile back that you are close to a nature reserve? Have you got any recent pics of your pond? I remember how it looked when you first installed it, I imagine it's changed a little now

 

I’ll get out there as soon as dawn breaks for you, @luciusmaximus .

Yes, last year we had frogspawn, then toadspawn, then lots of newts (em’s secretive, em is, so who knows?). I’m not surprised there is no activity yet. Last year the spawn arrived early March. Whilst it hasn’t been a cold winter, we’ve had very few days in double figures, and only one night so far this year...

 

Right, managed to get out to take some photos before that purple-grey sky arrived....

you can see why one of my aims is to integrate it a little more, although I’ve been told that the “open” nature is actually good for some amphibians....


a perfect illustration of the prevailing wind up the garden!


I think I need to fish out some of that meadowsweet...



for those who think their grass looks bad... this is what the “growth” at the top of the garden looks like. Yes, that is an algae slime on the surface, although the worst area for this is now replaced by the pond.


....and here comes the rain!

 

Haven't been able to do any gardening because my Lower back is playing up. But hubby planted 8 potted crocus where there's any spaces where there should be some but didn't come up.

 

Sowed some seeds the other day bacopa and antirrhinum . Cut back the last of the perennials mainly the echinacea which I leave last because the chaffinch like the seeds. While cutting the Echinacea back I noticed something growing which I didn't recognises it at first ( I almost stood on it ) remembering back its my eremus ( foxtail lily ) didn't think it would survive previous attempts have failed, hopefully it flowers .

Pruned the wisteria as well nearly forgot about that one.

Planted the new grapevine Lakemont , I think the sparrows keep getting into the GH through the grapevine hole, I don't mind them getting in its just getting back out if I haven't been in the GH a while, the last one were having mud baths in my pots in the GH chucking compost everywhere I just cleaned the GH a few weeks ago .

 

@Sian in Belgium your pond looks lovely . I can see what you mean about ' integrating it more ', although it really looks good the way it is. The water looks very clear too .

 

@Sian in Belgium your pond looks great, it could look better if you had a bog garden around it.

 

Managed to have quite a productive day in the garden after all yesterday. My back is playing up awfully with my whole spine like a metal rod and I have sciatica running down my left leg which has given me a couple of sleepless nights. Feel ( and dare anyone to say I look it!!) a 100yrs old.

Using my kneeler I managed to lower myself down to weed and tidy up a couple of the remaining smaller borders. Very gingerly swept the east patio as the birds had pecked off and dropped a lot of moss from the roof. Prepared some more plastic milk containers ready for me to start some Winter Sowing today. Going to see if Cleome will respond to the method as once again my indoor attempts aren't looking promising.

Just dosing myself up with some painkillers before heading outside.

 

Planted out some more potted crocus. Still a bit nippy in the shade.

 

@Upsydaisy sciatica is awful-I feel your pain. Don’t over do it x

 

Thanks @Snorky85 , it's like having throbbing toothache in my leg...still on a positive note it's taken my mind off my back...until I move!!

Lovely outside, in the middle now of weeding a larger border but I can only do so much as I can't lean in to get to the middle of it. Winter sowed a couple of large containers and will do a couple more after lunch.

Enjoy your day!